Countywide

McLean Sisters Fear Deportation — “Two sisters who were detained by border patrol agents while traveling back to the U.S. in early December fear they could be persecuted for their Christian faith if they are deported back to Iran, their pastor in Northern Virginia told News4.” An attorney representing the Motahari sisters says “they both have legal status, no criminal record and they had recently renewed their work permits until 2030.” [NBC4]

D.C. Region Sees Drop in Consumer Spending — “Consumers are spending less in the DMV — and D.C. is taking the biggest hit, according to a new Brookings report … The nonpartisan think tank says the administration’s policies have been “notably bad” for visitor spending — a big deal in a city where sales taxes make up nearly 17% of revenue.” [Axios DC]

Fairfax Therapy Startup Plans Expansion — Origin Therapy, which launched in August 2024 to help “speech, occupational and physical therapists launch and operate private practices,” has raised $2.6 million that it hopes to use to explore “other geographies and therapies where the need is also high.” The company has supported 19 therapy practices so far and is aiming to surpass 100 over the next year. [Washington Business Journal]

Cost-of-Living Concerns Pushed Voters Left — “Post-election research of Trump or third-party 2024 voters who flipped to Democrats in New Jersey and Virginia last month found that economic concerns were top of mind for these voters. Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) and former Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) made cost-of-living the centerpiece of their campaign messaging, and it helped propel them to double-digit victories.” [Politico]

Restaurant Opens in Former Falls Church Motel — “Stratford Garden opened yesterday (Tuesday) at the long-vacant Stratford Motor Lodge at 300 W. Broad Street, abuzz with local officials including Falls Church Mayor Letty Hardi. The business, which promised a wide selection of beers and wines, offers a range of sandwiches, salads and pastas for brunch, lunch and dinner.” [ARLnow]

S’mores Hot Chocolate Creation Goes Viral — The Chantilly-based dessert cafe SoftSpot “is filling feeds and faces with their campfire-inspired concoction … The shop has flown through as many as 400 in a day, partner Neal Miglani tells Axios. And yes, ‘It’s as indulgent as it looks.'” [Axios DC]

Vienna Eatery Seeks Blood Drive Participants — Social Burger “is looking for residents to sign up for its blood drive on Dec. 23, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. All those who donate will get a free milkshake from Social Burger. The blood drive will benefit Inova Blood Donor Services and is being held in partnership with Somervilles Homes.” [Patch]

New Laws Coming in New Year — “Beginning January 1, 2026, a slate of new laws will kick into effect in Virginia. Here are some to be aware of,” including restrictions on telemarketing calls, a one-hour limit on social media for kids under 16, and increases to the minimum wage and unemployment benefits. [Northern Virginia Magazine]

It’s Thursday — Rain is likely after 4pm, with increasing clouds and a high near 54. There’s a 30% chance of precipitation. Night will see temperatures rise to around 55 by 3am. Rain is expected, with a 100% chance of precipitation and new rainfall amounts ranging between half and three-quarters of an inch. [NWS]

Federal Agency Investigating Fatal Taxi Crash — “The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced Tuesday that it would be launching an investigation into a fatal crash in Fairfax County that happened one day earlier. One person was killed and three people were injured in a crash involving a Metrobus, a taxi cab and a minivan.” [DC News Now]

ICYMI: Bulova Wins Democratic Primary — Democratic voters in Virginia’s 11th House District nominated Gretchen Bulova in a quick firehouse primary yesterday (Tuesday) “to succeed her husband, David Bulova, after the delegate resigned last Friday (Dec. 12) to accept an appointment in Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger’s administration.” [FFXnow]

D.C. Region Joins Uber Lawsuit — “Nineteen states, including Virginia, Maryland and D.C., filed a joint lawsuit with the Federal Trade Commission against Uber on Monday. The complaint says Uber didn’t follow through on advertised savings, charged consumers during their free trial periods, and signed up users for Uber One without their consent.” [WTOP]

Virginia Honors Civil Rights Activist With Statue — A statue of Barbara Rose Johns was unveiled at the U.S. Capitol yesterday (Tuesday), replacing one of Confederate General Robert E. Lee as a representation of Virginia in the visitor center’s Emancipation Hall. At 16, Johns organized a walkout at her high school in Farmville to protest conditions at the segregated facility, setting the stage for the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark Brown v. Board of Education ruling. [NPR]

Metro Funding Question Goes to General Assembly — “As the Virginia legislature prepares to return to Richmond, the ball is in lawmakers’ court to respond to what Metro and regional officials say is a crucial moment for transit in Northern Virginia and the D.C. region. They will also have to weigh Metro’s needs with a panoply of other budget pressures facing the commonwealth.” [WAMU]

Local Soldier Reunites With Family — “Volunteers were hard at work inside the American Red Cross office in Fairfax Monday night. They were packing stockings and writing cards for patients at military hospitals at Fort Belvoir and Walter Reed. Little did the Konczal family know, as they arrived, that their son, US Army PFC Patrick Konczal, was there too.” [WUSA9]

Tysons Event Planning Company Buys Startup — “Cvent, a portfolio company of private equity giant Blackstone, announced Monday it has acquired Goldcast, a fast-growing Boston startup that uses artificial intelligence to produce video content for events and webinars. A deal price was not disclosed, but Axios reported Cvent paid just under $300 million in cash.” [Washington Business Journal]

Pickleball Tournament Raises Funds for Youth — “A pickleball tournament on Saturday at the Down the Line Sports Center in Annandale raised funds for Asian American LEAD, an organization that supports after-school leadership development programs for Asian American youths. The event featured a pickleball clinic, recreational games, and a tournament for competitive players.” [Annandale Today]

It’s Wednesday — Expect mostly sunny conditions today, as the temperature reaches a high near 49 degrees. The southwest wind of about 7 mph will shift west in the afternoon. For Wednesday night, the sky will be partly cloudy, with the temperature dropping to around 30 degrees, accompanied by a light and variable wind. [NWS]

Democratic Primary Today for House Seat — Polls will be open at three locations until 7 p.m. today (Tuesday) for the Democratic Party’s firehouse primary to select its nominee to succeed former 11th House District delegate David Bulova. Five candidates qualified for the ballot, with the winner potentially facing a Republican in a special election on Jan. 13. No Republican candidates have been announced so far.

Fox Rescued After Getting Stuck in Fence — “Last week, our Animal Services Officers received a call from a concerned community member about a fox stuck in a fence. It was believed the fox had been there for several hours before being found. Our officers safely freed the fox and consulted with professional rehabilitators to address the injuries to their rear legs.” [Fairfax County Animal Shelter/Facebook]

Annandale Man Sentenced on Drug Charges — “A federal court sentenced an Annandale man to 10 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, the FBI reported Dec. 11.” The 28-year-old man was arrested on June 3 after Fairfax County police stopped his vehicle and seized drugs as well as a handgun he had purchased illegally as a previously convicted felon. [Annandale Today]

Metro Expands New Bike Lockers — “The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority installed the first of 450 new covered bike storage lockers at the Eastern Market and Foggy Bottom Metro stations in late November. As of Saturday, a total of nine stations now have the new lockers. It’s part of an effort to get over 3.5 percent of Metro riders biking to stations by 2030.” [Washington Post]

Youngkin Quiet on Future Plans — “Almost from the moment that Glenn Youngkin became Virginia’s governor four years ago, the political world has wondered what’s next for a Republican who seemed to keep one foot in the MAGA movement and the other in the party’s traditional country club establishment. He’s still not ready to say.” [Associated Press/WTOP]

Shenandoah Valley Trail Proposed — “The Virginia Department of Transportation stunned Virginia’s transportation community by proposing a plan last Tuesday to potentially develop a multi-use trail and restore a deteriorated rail corridor in the Shenandoah Valley, with a possible price tag of nearly $700 million.” [Virginia Mercury]

GMU Serves Hot Sauce Concocted by Graduates — “Who knew that 10 years after three George Mason University students were just trying to get through their classes, they’d create a hot sauce that would become the official staple of the GMU dining hall? … Ask the founders what makes SOSS special, and they’ll tell you it’s the flavor balance no one else has mastered.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Police Academy Welcomes New Recruits — Yesterday, “Assistant Chief Eli Cory welcomed 48 recruits at the Fairfax County Criminal Justice Academy, marking the start of their 25-week basic training and the initiation of their careers in law enforcement.” At the academy, recruits will learn “basic instruction in the procedures, techniques, principles of law enforcement, incident report writing, criminal law, traffic enforcement, and first aid.” [FCPD]

New Legal Notice — Day spa seeks Retail Marketplace on-premises wine and beer license. [Public Notices]

It’s Tuesday — Expect sunny skies and a high temperature near 37 degrees, accompanied by light and variable winds. The night will be mostly clear, with lows around 28 degrees, and a south wind blowing at 3 to 6 mph. [NWS]

Plane Returns to Dulles After Engine Failure — “A United Airlines flight out of Dulles International Airport made an emergency landing after one of the plane’s engines failed during takeoff on Saturday afternoon. One of the engines of the Boeing 777-200ER suddenly failed at takeoff around 12:20 p.m., the FAA said, producing sparks and smoke.” [NBC4]

GW Parkway Rehabilitation Progresses — “From Spout Run Parkway up to the Beltway in McLean, paving is done and mainline construction is on track to conclude by the end of the month as a major rehab project announced in 2021 draws toward a close.” [ARLnow]

Man Charged With McLean-Area Burglaries — “Investigators have linked a Maryland man arrested in Tysons on Tuesday to multiple attempted burglaries in the McLean earlier this month, according to authorities.” A woman reported that the man had trespassed on her backyard on Dec. 9, and police believe he’s also behind two home burglaries that occurred in McLean on Dec. 5. [Patch]

Passenger Injured by Dulles Baggage Claim — “A passenger got stuck in baggage claim equipment at Washington Dulles International Airport on Thursday morning and is hurt, authorities say. The adult made ‘an unauthorized entry into the baggage delivery system’ and got trapped, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority said.” [NBC4]

Longfellow Students Aim to Extend Science Olympiad Win Streak — “Kim is one of 30 students who secured a spot on Longfellow Middle School’s prestigious Science Olympiad team. Over 100 competed for one, taking tests and building devices, with the hope of keeping the Fairfax County school’s reputation in tact. Longfellow’s team has won 13 consecutive state titles, and is eyeing a 14th. The school has won the state championship 19 times.” [WTOP]

Food Delivery Robots Enter Alexandria — “California-based Serve Robotics Inc., in partnership with Uber Eats, recently launched its autonomous sidewalk delivery company across the city. That means that folks ordering food in Old Town, Del Ray, Potomac West and nearby neighborhoods now have the option to get their orders delivered by a driverless robot.” [ALXnow]

Nonprofit Plans Bar Crawl Fundraiser — “The community is invited to a bar crawl on Saturday, Dec. 20, at four locations in Annandale. The event is a fundraiser for Me & You, a nonprofit organization that supports projects at nine schools in the metropolitan D.C. area, including Braddock Elementary School in Annandale.” [Annandale Today]

Park Authority Hires Planning Deputy Director — “The Fairfax County Park Authority is pleased to announce the appointment of Nigel A. Fields to the position of deputy director for Planning and Development. Fields is a leader in conservation, park development and programming, and land use planning and management. He began his new role on Dec. 1 and succeeds Aimee Vosper, who is retiring from the Park Authority on Dec. 26 after 12 years of service.” [FCPA]

It’s Monday — Expect mostly sunny conditions and a high temperature of around 30 degrees during the day, with the northwest wind of 7 to 11 mph shifting to the southwest in the afternoon. Tonight, you’ll experience partly cloudy skies, with the temperature dropping to a low of about 21 degrees. The south wind will be blowing at 5 to 7 mph before becoming light and variable after midnight. [NWS]